Search form

As Midterms Loom, GOP Reportedly Circulating 'Hell List' of Trump Probes Democrats Could Launch If They Retake House

Republicans have "documented all the work they should be doing but aren't, and sent the list around to make sure everyone gets busy figuring out ways to prevent other people from doing it," noted one observer

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) arrives late for a news conference following the weekly House Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center July 17, 2018 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Horrified by the very real possibility that Democrats will retake control of the House of Representatives in November, Republican lawmakers are reportedly circulating a private spreadsheet that has been dubbed the "hell list," which consists of investigations the GOP fears Democrats will launch if they are successful in the upcoming midterms.

Republicans "know these things deserve to be investigated and they don't do it." —Matt Fuller, Huffington Post

According to Axios, which obtained a copy of the spreadsheet, the document "catalogs more than 100 formal requests from House Democrats this Congress, spanning nearly every committee."

"The spreadsheet includes requests for administration officials to be grilled by committee staff, requests for hearings to obtain sworn testimony, efforts to seize communications about controversial policies and personnel decisions, and subpoena threats," Axios reported on Sunday. "These demands would turn the Trump White House into a 24/7 legal defense operation."

While the GOP's control of the House has allowed them to shut down the minority party's investigative requests—which have touched a wide range of topics, from President Donald Trump's tax returns to the federal government's wholly inadequate response to Hurricane Maria—the prospect of Democrats winning back the House has "churned Republican stomachs," as it would give Democrats the subpoena power they currently lack.

Here are just some of the items on the GOP's spreadsheet, as reported by Axios:

President Trump's tax returns

Trump family businesses — and whether they comply with the Constitution's emoluments clause, including the Chinese trademark grant to the Trump Organization

Trump's dealings with Russia, including the president's preparation for his meeting with Vladimir Putin

The payment to Stephanie Clifford — a.k.a. Stormy Daniels

James Comey's firing

Trump's firing of U.S. attorneys

Trump's proposed transgender ban for the military

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's business dealings

White House staff's personal email use

Cabinet secretary travel, office expenses, and other misused perks

Discussion of classified information at Mar-a-Lago

Jared Kushner's ethics law compliance

Dismissal of members of the EPA board of scientific counselors

The travel ban

Family separation policy

Hurricane response in Puerto Rico

Election security and hacking attempts

White House security clearances

"Lawyers close to the White House tell me the Trump administration is nowhere near prepared for the investigatory onslaught that awaits them, and they consider it among the greatest threats to his presidency," Axios's Jonathan Swan noted on Sunday.

Reacting to reports of the GOP's secret spreadsheet on Sunday, Simon Maloy of Media Mattersnoted that Republicans have essentially "documented all the work they should be doing but aren't, and sent the list around to make sure everyone gets busy figuring out ways to prevent other people from doing it."

According to a report by the Huffington Post's Paul Blumenthal last week, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee "have asked the Republican majority to issue subpoenas related to the administration’s conduct 52 times during the first 20 months of Donald Trump's presidency. Republicans turned down each of those 52 requests. If Democrats held the committee gavel, the subpoenas would be approved."

In a statement on Friday, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.)—the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee—vowed to move forward with these investigations into the Trump administration's corruption if his party takes back the House.

"If Democrats win the majority in November," Cummings declared, "we would finally do what Republicans have refused to do, and that is conduct independent, fact-based, and credible investigations of the Trump Administration to address issues like the security clearance process, conflicts of interest, the numerous attempts by Republicans to strip away healthcare from millions of Americans, postal service reforms, prescription drug pricing, and voting rights."

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License

This is the world we live in. This is the world we cover.

Because of people like you, another world is possible. There are many battles to be won, but we will battle them together—all of us. Common Dreams is not your normal news site. We don't survive on clicks. We don't want advertising dollars. We want the world to be a better place. But we can't do it alone. It doesn't work that way. We need you. If you can help today—because every gift of every size matters—please do.

Further

God bless the Finns: They've been there for us after the Idiot-In-Chief visited a ravaged California and babbled how we have to "take care of the floors" and be like Finland where "they spent a lot of time on raking and cleaning and doing things." Cue pics of dutiful Finns taking to the forest with their rakes and vacuums. Trump also said he still doesn't believe in climate change but "I want great climate." We do too, but first we want a president who's not barking mad.

Common Dreams brings you the news that matters.

Sign up for Newsletter

Connect With Us

Support our common dreams.

Can We Count on Your Help Today?

Common Dreams is a small nonprofit with a big mission. Every day of the week, we publish the most important breaking news & views for the progressive community. To remain an independent news source, we do not advertise, sell subscriptions or accept corporate contributions. Instead, we rely on readers like you, to provide the "people power" that fuels our work. Please help keep Common Dreams alive by making a contribution. Thank you. - Craig Brown, Co-founder